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IELTS Reading: Academic and General Training

You get 60 minutes for 40 questions in three sections. Academic Reading uses three long texts from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and websites, 2,150 to 2,750 words in all. General Training starts with everyday notices and adverts, moves to workplace texts, and ends with one longer text. General Training needs more right answers for the same band.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Academic Reading

The three texts are on general-interest subjects pitched at university students, written for readers who aren’t specialists. They can be narrative, descriptive or argumentative, and at least one has a detailed logical argument. Some include diagrams or graphs. If a technical word comes up, you get a simple definition.

General Training Reading

SectionTexts
1Two or three short texts, or several shorter ones, on everyday topics such as notices, adverts and timetables
2Two texts about work, such as job descriptions, contracts and training materials
3One longer, more complex text on a general topic, from a newspaper, magazine, book or website

The texts total 2,150 to 2,375 words, and the sections get harder as you go.

Question types

Academic uses 11 types and General Training uses 8. The ones only in Academic are Yes/No/Not Given (the writer’s views) and matching sentence endings.

  • Multiple choice
  • True/False/Not Given
  • Matching information, headings and features
  • Summary, note, sentence, table or flow-chart completion
  • Diagram label completion
  • Short-answer questions

Marks needed for each band

BandAcademic ReadingGeneral Training Reading
51523
62330
73035
835Not published

These are IELTS’s published averages out of 40. The exact number changes a little between test versions.

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Everything else, in one place

OverviewIELTSQuestions and pass markHow many questions are on IELTS, and what’s the pass mark?ScoringHow IELTS band scores workBook IELTSHow to book your IELTS test in the UKCostHow much does IELTS cost in the UK?What to bringWhat to bring to your IELTS testOnline testCan you take IELTS online?ResultsIELTS results: when they come out and how to check themWriting testIELTS Writing: Task 1 and Task 2Speaking testIELTS Speaking: the three parts and the cue cardListening testIELTS Listening: four parts, 40 questionsAcademic or General Training?IELTS Academic vs General TrainingIELTS for CanadaIELTS for Canada: CLB levels and Express EntryTest dates and centresIELTS test dates and test centresLife Skills (A1, A2, B1)IELTS Life Skills: A1, A2 and B1One Skill RetakeIELTS One Skill Retake: resit just one sectionOfficial samplesOfficial IELTS sample test questionsPractice testIELTS practice testWhere to learnWhere to prepare for IELTSStudy plannerIELTS study planner
Sources: IELTS and 2 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.